Elway: There’s no bigger Tebow supporter than me

Broncos front office boss John Elway is trying hard to reverse the perception that he’s not a believer in Tim Tebow.

In an interview with Alex Marvez of FOXSports.com, Elway said that he considers himself a Tebow fan and is hoping to see Tebow follow in his footsteps as a star franchise quarterback for the Broncos.

“Do I know where that ceiling is? I hope that ceiling is a mile high,” Elway said. “It’s just hard to predict. I don’t have that answer right now. But there’s nobody more supportive or wants him to be that guy than me.”

Elway was burned this season when he said Tebow’s exploits don’t put the Broncos any closer to identifying their quarterback of the future, and he’s been delicately attempting to walk back that comment ever since. But Elway remains reluctant to name Tebow the Broncos’ franchise quarterback, and there are some valid reasons for that.

One is that Elway inherited Tebow from the failed Josh McDaniels regime. Elway was brought in to change the culture of the Broncos, and he didn’t think that would entail confirming that McDaniels was right to take Tebow in the first round of last year’s draft. And Elway surely can’t help but evaluate Tebow from his own personal frame of reference as a star quarterback himself — and a different kind of star quarterback than Tebow. Yes, Elway and Tebow were both good runners, but Elway had one of the best throwing arms the game of football has ever seen. His passes looked like they were shot out of a cannon, and his throwing motion was beautiful. Tebow couldn’t be more different from Elway as a passer, so it’s not surprising that Elway isn’t totally sold on Tebow as a passer.

The radio interview in which Elway said he doesn’t think the Broncos are close to identifying their quarterback of the future isn’t the only reason some doubt his commitment to Tebow. When Tebow is leading the Broncos to a come-from-behind victory, as he does almost every week, the TV cameras occasionally catch Elway, and he never looks particularly happy about it. Maybe it’s unfair to judge Elway on facial expressions and body language, but that’s life.

But Elway insists that he does think Tebow has a future, and he said he plans to work with Tebow and Broncos quarterbacks coach Adam Gase during the offseason. Elway also said he thinks the biggest mechanical improvement Tebow should make is to adjust his footwork, not to overhaul his throwing motion.

So that will be one of Elway’s offseason projects. Only time will tell if another offseason project is acquiring someone else whom Elway envisions as the Broncos’ future franchise quarterback.

Elway is a legend in Denver. And I think he realizes that his status in Denver could be a distant memory if he looks like he doesn’t support Tebow or if it appears he wants him to fail. It sure looks to me that he wants Tebow to fail.

How about he just be honest with everyone: say that Tebow wasn’t his guy and that when he took over that he was skeptical that Tebow could do the job; After playing at the level he has played, that Tebow has earned his respect and that if he keeps it up, that Elway will continue to grow in confidence. A guy doesn’t have to stick to an old opinion when the situation changes. That isn’t being a flip-flop, it’s showing your players that if they work hard and perform on the field then they will earn the position of starter. It was stupid for any of us to believe that Tebow deserved to be a starter, or that he deserved the full support of the leadership of his team until he actually stepped on the field and played a few games. He needs to earn the respect so many people wanted to throw at him. He’s doing that, but he’s far from being a sure thing yet.

Also, 5 of Tebows wins are against last place or sub par teams. Or we catch a team at perfect time (Raiders and Bears). We will beat Bears….. Alot of it is timing but Tebow has improved. He is hitting his wide open receivers and not throwing the ball into the front row. But still don’t think this style of QB will make it in playoffs, which is what matters anyways. Wins against Miami, KC, Minny, SD, Oak don’t mean crap really. Beat Pitt, NE, Hou, Jets in playoffs and then lets talk…… I guess one step at a time 🙂

Seriously without von miller and broncos defense tebow sucks only defenses let their qb throw 4 for 9 and 70 yards and too compare him to elway is a joke i would love to see tebow have a career like elway…not a chance in hell that will ever happen, unless GOD banishes all other qbs to hell

Someone tell Elway to go stay up in the booth, nobody wants to see a GM, Team Exec, or whatever, down on the sidelines like Jerrah. You got no business, so get the Hell upstairs, and quit trying to get on camera. Those days are over for you, if you have any dignity at all, you’d get upstairs and stay there. Plus you talk wayyyy more than any other GM in the league. nobdy hears from Bruce Allen, Jerry Reese, or any other GM weekly on national media like you and Jerrah. No good, my man……..

Denver’s screwed. They will likely win the AFC West and their idiot fans will think it’s because of Tebow whereas the rest of the intelligent football world will know it was because of defense and their running game. Elway will have to take a QB in the 2nd or 3rd round, even though that’s their biggest need, and that 2nd rounder will be better than Tebow will ever be. When they make the change at QB, should be game 1 next year, the rookie/young QB won’t get a chance because their idiot fans will call for Tebow after his 1st incomplete pass.

Maybe the best QB of all time, Elway, has to stick with a Nebraska style option QB because the iditots believe in a FB playing QB.

Stay classy Denver, the rest of the football world is laughing at you. Why don’t you bring back Josh McDaniels while you’re at it, he’s the reason for your team afterall?

Let’s say that in Tom Brady first year as the starter he played the way he did, made the playoffs, but did not win that first Superbowl. Does anyone think Belichick sends him back to the bench. No! That would be stupid. What’s happening here is the same thing. An unheralded qb is lifting a mediocre team to new levels. They probably won’t win the superbowl, but they will go to the playoffs. It doesn’t take a Belichick to know something special is going on. Tebow will be the starter next year.

Oh no! Elway wasn’t convinced a QB that had only 6 career starts at the time wasn’t the QB of the future? How many QBs with the same resumé have shown that they deserve unwavering support and didn’t need any further evaluation? Everyone in the media must be required to take a class called “Making Mountains out of Molehills 101”.

Bottomline… If Tebow were to take the Broncos to the playoffs… How could you deny him? Yeah, it’s unique, but nothing says there is a formula to winning in the NFL.. Sometimes they make it too complicated, when it’s real simple… My 11 guys have to beat your 11 guys & it doesn’t matter if that includes an option offense with good play action… Tebow & McGehee are making it work.

The standard formula for championship football is a strong running game, a stout defense and a qb that doesn’t turn the ball over. Sounds like the Broncos are in line for a couple of titles in the next few years. (didn’t Trent dilfer win a sb?)

No, you don’t Elway. In the 4th quarter of the last 5 games, you’ve looked like Rex Ryan Stepped on your toes with cleats. Elway has a HUGE ego, and this is more him trying to show everyone his opinion was correct more than Anything personal against Tebow. I think Tebow will stick in Denver for a while though, fans would revolt if he were traded/dumped now.

@ mcjon22….where do you get that John Elway has a “HUGE ego”??? From everything I’ve seen, to include his retirement speech to several interviews, he is immensely humble. If you could produce something that actually demonstrated Elway’s “HUGE ego” I would appreciate it

Jbaxt says ……. alot of bs.
We as Broncos fans want to win. If Tebow wins games he’s our starter. If not someone else is. Simple as that. Every team is the same way as well as their fan base. You say Broncos fans are idiots but we the idiots support our team. We sell out every week and have for years. Elway, led our team to back to back superbowls. We love Elway. Until Tebow or anyone else brings home the Lombardi two seasons in a row they cannot come close to Elway. He’s not worried you can believe that. He wants to win. They have to win. He’s took a big chance taking the job. Also there’s people saying we haven’t played anybody. As a fan I have to say every team seems better than us. I expect us to lose every week. We’ve done it for years now. This season has been fun.

I’ll go ahead and say the Christian Cat style offense will last all of 4 more games, at best, more like 2. For your slow donk fans that’s a play off the Wild Cat offense that was so successful for about 8 weeks 2 years ago with Ronnie, 3rd string, Brown. Like all gimmicks in the NFL, they only last for a short period of time.

Tebow has been blessed this season with a good defense, playing in the weak AFC West, and lucky 6 game streak that’s been full of playing against injured teams. Reality will bite back and you denver trolls can blame yourselves for choosing your 3rd string FB as your savior. Don’t worry though, it will happen soon enough and we’ll all be there to laugh at you.

@ mcjon22….where do you get that John Elway has a “HUGE ego”??? From everything I’ve seen, to include his retirement speech to several interviews, he is immensely humble. If you could produce something that actually demonstrated Elway’s “HUGE ego” I would appreciate it

All one needs to look at to evidence his “ego” was his refusal to go play for the Colts prior to the draft. I classify him with Eli as a whiner who believes that he is too good for specific teams and wish him only the worst as a GM. I respect and hope that Tebow proves everyone wrong and succeeds but I can only hope that Elway gets ridden out of town Matt Millen style. He is and always will be a punk biatch that has always believed that he is the best ever. With Terrell Davis and Shannon Sharpe he would be another ringless QB that could join the Browns in playoff loser limbo.

What else changed week 5? Same defense, same running backs, same offensive line. The play calling changed to focus more on the ground game – maybe that was a year or two overdue. But it’s hard to miss the impact on the W-L stats after the change, no matter what you think of the new qb.

I’ve heard no one say they have to continue running this offense exclusively. They aren’t even running the offense that he excels the most in, and the team still wins. He is progressing in season. And since when is it held against a qb when his defense does well? After all, he isn’t a lion on a diffferent level or anything…(you see what I did there)?

The above Tebowism posters can not see what EFX needs to do, which is make every position competitive. Yes they will take a QB in 2012. This does not say that Tebow is done but I do not him to say “they took my job away” again.
I see one option of getting a viable vet, but if it is Matt Flynn then the competition will be very rough. The other option is a 2nd round selection then the competition will be Tebow straightening out his ‘footwork’ and the draftee ‘showing-up’
Either way, the Broncos will not run the spread in 2012.

Why is it usually a case of all or nothing with stuff? This is a team sport. Tebow is not THE reason they’re winning, but he is ONE reason they’re winning.

Will this type of offense continue to win? Probably not…but they are getting better in the passing game so they clearly acknowledge that’s needed. Whether he can continue to grow or not who knows? But it ain’t so bad for the Broncos…winning while they find out one way or the other.

He comes in to a situation where his former team has been in the mediocre to horrible range from bad drafts, coaching, management, ownership (his friend PBowlen) and just bad vibes piling up for about a decade. Yet he casts a huge shadow over the history of this franchise. He’s had a successful business history, but no NFL front office experience (some success in the Arena League), and he’s inherited a mess.

Tebow was McD’s bit gamble while Elway was brought in to (presumably) clean house and give the Bronco fans hope for a better future.

Hard enough to put a house in order as a newbie – what you don’t plan on is: the kid that was supposed to fail . . . doesn’t. You want to start over from scratch and build something in your own (toothy) image – and then this whole distraction of WINNING pops up.

But if he chooses to do this for the rest of his life, and improve and learn – the other teams better brace themselves because John Elway doesn’t like to lose, and he and Tebow share a common trait – they sometimes find a way to win when it seems unlikely, impossible or the odds are against them.

If the two do (or have) bonded over this common trait – then the Broncos may again become the “oh crap, we have the Broncos on our schedule this year” team they used to be in the 80’s and 90’s.

And what if this kid with a will to win – who seems a bit more confident every week- keeps his head and heart in the game and learning process and continues to get better?

And better.

Every season?

And what if Elway gets better and better as a front office guy? (And he probably will)

There are a lot of similarities between #7 and #15.

You’ve got to play the cards your dealt.

The Broncos won’t get far this year – but this off season – and next year are going to be very interesting.

I have never been a Denver fan but I do like Mr. Tebow and am therefore enjoying their games. I know that when Mr. Elway played for Denver they won two SBs. I believe he is in the position he is in because he loves the Denver Broncos and wants to see them return to greatness. So many say that Denver cannot return to greatness with Mr. Tebow at QB. Mr. Elway, please remember that some of the greatest leaders are those that do things a little differently and are often very unconventional. Whether Mr. Tebow has great mechanics or not he appears to be a very humble man who sees that without his teammates he’s just a man on a football field. Great leaders KNOW they don’t and can’t do it alone. Lead on Mr. Tebow. Go Broncos!!

People need to stop being so critical of elway, I wanna see tebow succeed, but football is a business, and if tebow doesn’t fit elways business plan then so be it. Elway didn’t pick him, I’m sure elway would like to see tebow be the qb he wants, to save him the hassle of looking for that qb, but if not, elway didn’t pick him. Most regime changes involve changing franchise qbs, and as much as I hope tebow succeeds, if elway dumps him, I wont have a bad feeling Cuz that’s life in the NFL. Tebow will be able to find work elsewhere I guarantee it

Hope Tebow gets the chance to play for a team that actually wants him. Being an NFL QB is hard enough without having team management constantly whining about that they don’t like the “way” you win, instead of being supportive of the fact that you win, or that you are getting better in your techniques.

Agreed. Everything is the same for Tebow as it was Orton, EXCEPT, Tebow inspires everyone else around him to give 100 %, to play motivated, because he inspires them and they BELIEVE in him. That’s what effective leaders do. He could bs the worst player on the field BUT if he gets all other 51 guys to perform to their abilities they can beat anyone. Philip Rivers is what Elway wants as his type if qb…. Why…he inspires no one to play despite how accurate he throws a ball. I’ll take Tebow over him anytime thank you very much.

I’m an acquaintance with Elway. I like the man and understand that he inherited Tebow when he took over the team. But he should have been a man about it day-one and decided to either support Tebow or cut him. Elway is doing the team no good always making the story about himself … maybe he is jealous of Tebow’s popularity? I don’t know but his flip-flopping on a guy who has proven he can lead the team has certainly damaged Elway’s credibility. This late U-turn makes him look like he just wants to jump on the bandwagon.

Its funny but Ulracher made the best comment I’ve heard in a while. When asked about the Broncos “ugly” wins, he said “Ive never been part of an ugly win. I’ve been part of some ugly losses, but there’s no such thing as an ugly win”
And on that note, I don’t have a problem with Elway’s approach to this. He earned my respect MANY years ago. To all the ones comparing Tebow to Elway, it’s more than obvious that you never saw Elway play. I want to see how Tebow plays in Dec., & Jan. myself, & as of now, I’m in love with his playing abilities. But from this week forward, is what separates the men from the boys. But to all the young, or new fans, you need to ask somebody, Elway was a man among men, and a champion in every aspect of the word. He will do what’s right, & you can count on that…

Quarterbacks who “can’t throw” would have a lot of interveptions. One could joke he’s throwing them where no one could catch them but that doesn’t account for his Td completions! Tebow will be 8-1 today and Elway will at least physically ” embrace” him.